May backs Press in judges row

Free speech underpins democracy, she declares

THERESA May last night defended the free Press’s right to criticise the judiciary – saying it ‘underpins our democracy’.

The Prime Minister intervened amid protests from lawyers and Remain-supporting MPs over the reporting of last week’s hugely controversial High Court ruling that Parliament must be given a vote on Brexit.

The Government is appealing against the decision, saying it was made clear when the referendum was called that the people were being given the final say on whether to remain in the EU.

Yesterday ministers said groups such as the Bar Council were in danger of ‘exaggerating’ the row over Press headlines. They suggested the judges criticised by the Mail and others were not going to ‘lose sleep over a disobliging headline’.

On a trade mission to India, Mrs May – who herself described the court’s verdict as disappointing – twice defended the freedom of the Press. She decided to speak out after ferocious criticism on social media and the BBC of both newspapers and Justice Secretary Liz Truss.

Mrs Truss was savaged by Remain-backing MPs and lawyers for not attacking the Press over its comments. The legal profession said she had a duty to protect the independence of the judiciary.

Mrs May said yesterday: ‘I believe in the value of the independence of our judiciary. I also value the freedom of our Press. I think those both underpin our democracy and they are important.

‘Of course the judges will look at the legal arguments – I believe as a Government we have got strong legal arguments. The Supreme Court will now decide.

‘I also reiterate that Parliament gave this decision to the British people in the referendum, and I think for MPs and peers they should remember that the British people gave their view. The majority said we should leave the EU.’

The PM added: ‘It is important that we have the independence of the judiciary. It is also important that we have a free Press.’

And Jeremy Hunt said he would ‘defend to the hilt’ the right of newspapers to write what they like as it was an important aspect of democracy.

The Health Secretary referenced the Mail’s front page, which called the judges ‘enemies of the people’, telling the BBC’s Andrew Marr show that the ‘democratic right of newspapers to disagree whenever they want with what judges decide’ was important because ‘we’re an open society’.

The sentiments were echoed by Commons Leader David Lidington, who told ITV’s Peston on Sunday that judges were ‘tough old birds’ who could survive a disobliging front page. He accused the Bar Council of exaggerating the harm newspaper headlines can do to the principle of judicial independence.

But Gina Miller, who funded the High Court case, said the Press had ‘ behaved disgracefully’. She added: ‘The papers – the Mail in particular – have been shameful. It’s brought out a side of society – the dark clouds are definitely gathering.’ ÷ Ministers are considering fasttracking approval for Brexit if the Supreme Court rules MPs must vote to trigger formal talks to leave the EU. The move to present Parliament with a resolution rather than a Bill would allow the Commons and Lords to rubberstamp the start of the process in one day, The Times reported. Comment and Dominic Lawson

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ENEMIES OF THE PEOPLE From Friday’s Mail